Driving means for flush-joint drill stems



muvm-x xmms Fon FLUSH Jouir, DRILL srzls Filed Aug. 26. 1929 2 Sheets-511001Z l W :Hmm GQttre."

MQMM

Jan. 6, 1931. w. s. GATTRELL 1,737,476

DRIVING MEANS FOR FLUSH JOINTDRILL STEIS Filed Aug. 26, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 william 5 Gatre dttozmq Patented Jan. 6,"1931 PATENT OFFICE WILLIAMS. GATTRELL, or TAMrIco, Mnxrco DRIVING MEANS FOR FLUSH-JOINT DRILL STEMS y Application led August 26, 1929. Serial N0. 388,421.

My invention relates to means for communicating ya rotating motion to a drill stem upon which flush joints are used and which must beadapted to operate thru a stuffing box atV the upper end ofthe well casing. l l In drilling wells under Vgas .pressure'it is customary in some sections to providey at the upper end of the well 'casing a stu'iing box thru which the drill stem operates. rIbis stuiing box preventsv the escape ofy gas or other fluid about the drill stem while it is being operated. In order to employ a stuffing box it `is necessary that the drive stem or Kelley joint atjtheupper end of the drill 5 stem be made cylindricalso that it may pass thru the stufng box without allowing escape of fluid about the same. It isdiflicult under ordinary circumstances to communicate rotative movement to a cylindrical drill stem.

My invention includes the particular construction of the drive stem so that it may be cylindrical and still adapted to engage with driving means upon the rotary and be thus driven. It is an object of the invention to provide a drive stem and means upon the rotary to engage therewith and communicate rotative movement to the drill stem while it is moving vertically into the well.

I'desire to provide a particular construcf y tion of driving bushing to be used in a rotary table which has means to co-operate with the particular construction of drive stem employed and to rotate said stem.

Referring to the drawings here with wherein a preferred embodiment of the invention is disclosed, Fig. 1 is a side view, parts being broken away in central vertical section to illustrate the construction of my drive stem 0 and drive bushing Fig. 2 is a side view partly broken away showing the connection at the upper end of the drive stem.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the driving means, the drive stem being shown in transverse section.

In carrying out my invention the casing shown at 1, and the casing head 2 thereon, may be of ordinary construction, the upper o end of the casing head being threaded at 3 to receive a box 4 in which the packing member 5 may be seated. A gland 6 on the stuiling box may be employed to compress the pacle ing in the box.

The box is adapted to receive a drive stem 7 which i'its closely within the stuffing box and is connected by means of a tool joint 8 with the upper end of the drill stem 9.

rThe drive stem 7. is a tubularA member cylindrical on its outer surface and provided 'with spaced notches 10. Sai d notches are formed as shown in Fig. 3 having a. radial vshoulder 11 on one side and an outwardly beveled wall 12 on the other side, the notches being of comparatively short length. As will be seen from Fig. 1, these notches are arranged in vertical alignment but are offset or staggered longitudinally of the stem so that there will be no escape of fluid past the stem because of the'close spacing of any two 70 adjacent notches. The upper end of the drill stem is connected at 153 with a swivel 111 which may be of ordinary construction andneed not be further described.

The drive bushing 15 is adapted to seat withina rotary table 16 of any desired type. Said rotary table is mounted on bearings 17 adapted to roll upon a bed plate 18 supported upon the frame or skids 19. lThe table is rotated thru means of a drive pinion 20 engaging with a ring gear 21 on the lower side of the table. This structure is not understood to be novel. The bushing fits within a squared opening 22 in the upper end of the table and has a downwardly tapered extension 23 iit- 85 ting within a taperedseat in the rotary. The bushing is itself heldl nonrotatably relative to the rotary.

The bushing 15 has a plurality of drive rollers 25 therein, said rollers being formed with 90 a periphery curved longitudinally at 26 to fit about the drive stem As will be noted from Fig. 3, the rollers are not only curved on their outer surface but are slightly tapered. Each end thereof is also beveled 9 somewhat at 27 so as to allow them to interiit along their meeting edges. The periphery 26 is formed with projecting lugs 28 shaped to fit within the notches 10 in the drive stein. These lugs are spaced apart and so placed i0 the drive bushing. As will be larly from Fig. l, the

lupon the rollers that they will engage 'within the rows of notches l0 in the drive stem as the drive stein is moved downwardly; The

f staggering of the notches l0 allows one of l any one of the drive rollers.

'n 'so' :'The dri-verollers are mounted onaxles Q9 mounted,forgoperation within slots or recesses O'formed within the upper head 31 of noted particuslots 30 areinclined downwardly and inwardly toward the drive stem so that the rollers may be moved down in said slots? into lirm engagement with the drive stem. Then in engaging position the rollers may beheld firmly in that position by set'sci'ews fvscrewed within plates 33 at the outer ends of the slots 30.` i

My improved driving means allows'the use 'of a cylindrical flush joint drive stem,V and provides a'iirm engagement between the drive rollers 25 and the notches l() within the stein;

' 'Itwill be seen from Fig. 3 that there are three lugs 'or teeth 28 engaging withinftlie drive stem. at any one time thus communicating a ksuiiicient driving edoit from the'drive bushing. to the stem. As the drill progresses downwardly in the drilling operation the' rollers 26 may rotate yintheir bearings and engage with the drill stein at (all times.

My drive bushing may bejeasily assembled within the rotary and removed whendesired and where no gas pressures are encountered another drive bushing and drive stein may be'substituted if desired. VThe advantages of the device will be obvious to those skilled inthe art., 'Y What'Iclaim as new by Letters Patent is:

1. The combination of a rotary table, a drive bushingremovably seated in said table, a drive stem extending-thrusaid bushing, said drive stem having shouldered notchesV therein, and rollers Von said ybushing having their peripheries curved to conform to the curvature of the? drive stem and projecting teeth thereon to engage within said notches and bear against said shoulders. i

2. The combination of a rotary table, a drive bushing in said'table, a drivey stem eX- ten-dingtliru said bushing, said drive stem having shouldered Vnotches therein, vand rollers on saidbusl'iing having their peripheries curved to tit about said drivesteni, and separatemeans on said rollers to engage the said notches in said drive stem.

3.l In a. well drilling apparatus, a drive stem having notches therein arranged in staggered relation transversely of saidjstein, and a` drive bushing, Vdrive rollers, teeth thereon adapted` toengage said notches vas said drive stein isrinoved vertically, and means to rotate said bushing. .l l

4. In a well drilling apparatus, a drive e, signature this 20th and desire to protect I stem having notches therein arranged in staggered relation transversely* of saidstem, and a drive bushing, drive rollers, mounted on said bushing and shaped .to fit about said drivestem,teeth on said rollers adapted to engage said notches as said drive stem is moved vertically, and means to rotate said bushing. l ji 'I 5; A Adrivesteni'having approximately V- shaped notches arranged in longitudinal rows thereon, a' drive bushing, rollers thereon having their peripheries curved longitudinally to fit said pipe, and means on said rollers to viit said notches.' to communicate rotative movement to said drive stein from said bushin Y.

rIn a device ofthe character described, a cylindrical HushV joint drive steinadapted to operate through a stung box, driving rollers having their peripheries eoncaved to closely engage about the curvedouter surface of-'said drive stein, and interengaging means between saiddrive stem and the concaved suiface of said driving rollers whereby rotative movement may be transmitted to said drive stem.,y f

In testimony whereof I hereunto atiix dayof August, fA. D. 1929;

wiLLiAM s. GATTRELL. 

